


Mistletoe and Holly

by shipskicksandgiggles



Series: holiday fics [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Lights, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Adopted Child, Jewish Bucky Barnes, Jewish Peter Parker, M/M, Mentions of Jewish Steve Rogers, vague mentions of childhood trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28311165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipskicksandgiggles/pseuds/shipskicksandgiggles
Summary: No one in Stark Tower really celebrates Christmas, but the season still grows on people on occasion.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: holiday fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092338
Kudos: 65





	Mistletoe and Holly

**Author's Note:**

> so this was just an excuse for me to write about Christmas fluff while still hating Christmas. I have no shame at all I just love Christmas lights a lot  
> title based on the song Mistletoe and Holly, specifically the Frank Sinatra version I have stuck in my head

“What’s your favorite thing about Christmas?”

“What?” Harley glanced up from the book he was reading.

“What’s your favorite thing about Christmas,” he repeated. 

“I don’t celebrate Christmas. Also aren’t you Jewish?”

Peter flopped down on the couch next to him. “I mean yeah, but like, even just the time of year is kinda cool in terms of aesthetics. You’re telling me there’s nothing you like about it?”

Harley sighed, leaning over to set his book down. “Not really? Honestly most people in the Tower don’t make a huge deal out of Christmas. Steve and James are Jewish so they have their own thing. Pops asked if I wanted to be included actually, which was sweet but honestly I don’t know if I could. Thor still doesn’t understand the holiday even after Bruce tried to explain it to him, but it’s not like he celebrates either. Something about the over commercialization of it I think makes him a bit green. Clint and Nat both grew up in places where the happiness of children was punished and therefore have a much more negative view of Christmas than the rest of us. Dad and I both have less than good memories of Christmas, even if it did bring us together.”

“But you have a tree up,” Peter argued. 

“That’s all Pepper. It’s a PR thing I guess. Something about needing a tree in the common area to not piss off the American people or some bullshit. We still have a menorah visible on the mantle as well, but that actually has meaning to some people.”

“That’s… completely fair actually.”

“Yeah.” Harley stared at the tree. “I love the argument that Christmas was a pagan holiday stolen by Christians for their own purposes, but it still can’t make me like the holiday.”

“Did you celebrate before you met Tony?” Peter asked. 

“I mean yeah? Everyone did in Rose Hill. It was obviously hyped up Jesus bullshit, but everyone was involved.” He laughed, but it sounded hollow. “It’s probably part of the reason I hate it so much.”

Peter nodded, allowing them to lapse into silence for a few moments before Harley piped back up. 

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, well, I was just curious I guess. Even though I’m Jewish, I still love certain things about Christmas. I just wondered if you did too.”

“What’s _your_ favorite thing then?”

Peter considered the question for a moment before hopping out of his seat, phone in hand. “You want me to show you?” he asked. 

“Do I actually get a choice?” 

“Not really. Text your dads and tell them we’ll be back in a bit.”

~~~

10 minutes later, they were speeding out of the garage with Peter in the driver’s seat headed God knows where. 

“Can you at least give me a hint as to where we’re going, dear?”

“No can do sugarbear,” Peter answered. “I promise it won’t take long to get there.”

After Peter had dragged him down to the garage, he’d selected a set of keys to one of the cars and plugged his phone into the speaker system before Harley had managed to latch his seatbelt. Now, Christmas music was streaming quietly, and Harley had to admit that it wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

Peter drove through the city, heading out of Manhattan entirely. Traffic was lighter than Harley’d expected, but he supposed more people had decided to stay in with their families given the snow and the cold. 

Once they’d gotten out of the city, Peter started making turns seemingly at random until they reached the top of a hill overlooking New York. He pulled over and parked the car, jumping out and opening Harley’s door before he could reach for the door handle himself. 

“Here,” Peter said, pulling him closer to the outlook. “ _This_ is my favorite thing about Christmas.”

Below them, New York was lit up like, well, a Christmas tree. As far as the eye could see, Christmas lights were scattered between buildings. 

It was breathtaking. 

“ _Oh_ ,” Harley breathed. 

Peter hummed before stepping back slightly, tapping something on his phone screen. 

“Wanna dance with me?”

 _Silver Bells_ began filtering its way through the speakers of Peter’s phone, and Harley couldn’t help but laugh as he let Peter pull him closer so they could dance. 

“You’re a sap, sweetheart.”

“ _Your_ sap, angel.”

He laughed again before leaning down to kiss his boyfriend. “You’re unbelievably cute.”

Peter blushed, and Harley didn’t even hesitate before peppering his cheeks with even more kisses.

“Dork.”

“Mhm.”

~~~

They took the long way home, weaving their way through residential neighborhoods and back streets to look at more lights. It was at least another hour before they stumbled back out of the elevator into the penthouse with Harley attempting to sing his way through _Mistletoe and Holly_. 

“Hey, welcome home,” James greeted them.

“And speaking of mistletoe,” Tony pointed up. 

Sure enough, there was a sprig of mistletoe hanging above the elevator. Peter reached up to give Harley a quick kiss before dragging him into the nearest chair, still giggling. 

“You kids have a good time?” Tony asked. 

“Yeah,” they both answered in chorus. 

“What’re you watching?” Harley asked, glancing at the TV screen. 

“We were about to watch _It’s a Wonderful Life._ You wanna join us?” 

“Sure!” Peter answered. 

“There’s popcorn and soda in the kitchen. We’ll wait to start the movie until you get back.”

“Thanks dad, pops,” Harley said, kissing his dads on the cheek as he passed. 

“I’ll grab a blanket!” Peter called as Harley went to grab the snacks. 

Once they settled in to watch the movie, Peter tucked into Harley’s side, Tony hit play. The movie was comforting, nostalgic even. Harley had almost managed to drop off by the end, the warm weight of Peter enough to calm him into a light doze. 

“C’mon, old man,” Peter's voice floated in, coaxing him awake. “Time for bed.”

“‘M not old.”

“No you’re not honey, but you still need to come to bed.”

“Tomorrow’s Christmas, kids. Team breakfast is still standing even if we don’t celebrate,” Tony said, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb them too much. 

“Goodnight boys, sleep well,” James whispered as he walked out of the room. 

Peter finally managed to get Harley out of the chair and down the hall to his room. “You wanna cuddle?” he asked. 

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back okay? Just want to change into pajamas.”

Harley nodded and Peter ran across the hall to his own room. He took the time to throw on a pair of sweats, and in no time, Peter was back. 

Within moments of them being tangled together, Peter started to doze off on Harley’s chest. Despite being almost asleep moments earlier, Harley couldn’t seem to do the same. 

Something just kept nagging at him. 

“Hey Peter?”

“Hmm?” Peter lifted his head to look at him. “What’s up?”

“Just out of curiosity, how did you find that spot? With the lights?”

Peter smiled. “Aunt May and Uncle Ben used to drive me out there every Christmas. They didn’t celebrate either, but May told me about how they got lost once on their way home from an office party and when Ben pulled over to find a map, she got out and saw the view and they just _sat_ for a while before coming home. I never forgot it.”

Harley swept the hair from his forehead and kissed him softly. “That’s sweet.”

“Mhm,” he nodded. “Gives me something to look forward to every year. Did you like it?”

“Yeah,” Harley answered. “I think I finally have a favorite thing about Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> give me a shout on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/playboyphilanthro-pissed)


End file.
